Tuesday Tunes: Jenny Lewis

They say that good things come to those who wait. Well, it’s been six whole years since our favorite indie music queen, Jenny Lewis, has churned out a solo album, and we gotta say… “They” were so freakin’ right.

Jenny Lewis’ third solo album The Voyager (co-produced by Ryan Adams and Beck) officially drops today, but #TBH, we’ve been grooving along to these sweet tunes since last week (Thanks, NPR!). If you’re familiar with the former Rilo Kiley frontwoman’s work (commonly described as a mixture of alt-country, pop, and indie rock), then you’re completely aware that the red-headed songstress tends to dig reaaaal deep and, as a result, brings out all kinds of feels when you’re listening or belting along. Well, this much-anticipated album is certainly no exception.

While the entirety of The Voyager may very well be Jenny’s best (seriously, no foolin’), there are a few gems throughout the album that really strike a chord or two within us. The first being the album’s upbeat opener, Head Underwater, which proves to be Lewis’ official declaration of resurgence after dealing with “one of the most difficult times” of her life. She sings, There’s a little bit of magic; everybody has it. There’s a little bit of fight left in me yet. (Damn, are we happy to have her back.) The next is the album’s first single, Just One Of The Guys (star-studded music video below), which not only has Beck written all over it, but also captivates exactly what it’s like for the 38-year-old to be, well, a lady without a baby. She’s Not Me tells the story of a past love gone awry and features just the right amount of Lewis with a hint of Fleetwood Mac. While the song’s story may leave you mourning over an ex, it is Love U Forever that will quickly remind you of the crazy-quirky love that you have now (phew!). Lastly, the album closes with the title track (and, in our opinion, the glue that holds it all together), The Voyager; a perfectly melodic ending to a heartbreaking-yet-heartfelt piece of work. Needless to say, if you don’t already love J. Lew like we do, you’ll certainly develop a major crush after you’ve given this soulful album a listen.

Haven’t had enough of Jenny Lewis just yet? Here are 4 things you probably didn’t know about her.

She’s a huge fan of hip-hop and boxing. When Lewis was 10, late actor Corey Haim gave her her first cassette tape with Run-D.M.C. on one side and the Beastie Boys on the other. She’s been hooked on the genre ever since. As for her love for boxing, Lewis is known to live tweet her support for the Pac-Man himself, Manny Pacquiao, during his matches.

She’s a former child star. Lewis started as a commercial actress in a Jell-O commercial and then later starred in late-80s classics such as Troop Beverly Hills (as fellow redhead Shelly Long’s daughter) as well as The Wizard (alongside The Wonder Years alum Fred Savage).

She wrote and produced a Disney song. Yup, that’s Jenny’s voice you hear on the Bolt soundtrack singing Barking At The Moon.

She’s got some famous friends. As evidenced by Lewis’ hilarious music video for Just One Of The Guys, Lewis is BFFs with some pretty talented Hollywood actresses. You can watch Kristen Stewart, Anne Hatheway, and Brie Larson in drag lip-syncing to the song below.